Combine Weft

What It Does

Combine Weft merges the treadling from two open documents, either by interleaving (inserting source picks between existing picks, increasing the total pick count) or by overlaying (adding source treadle assignments on top of existing picks, keeping the same pick count).

This is the weft companion to Interleave Warp — while Interleave Warp combines threadings, Combine Weft combines treadling sequences.

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Location

• Ribbon: Design tab > Combine group > Combine Weft button

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The Dialog

Source Document

A dropdown of all other open documents. Select the document whose treadling you want to combine with your current draft.

Combine Type

Interleave — Inserts source picks between your existing picks, increasing the total number of picks. The result alternates: one pick from the current draft, one from the source, and so on.

Overlay — Places source treadle assignments onto existing picks without adding new ones. The pick count stays the same, but picks gain additional treadle activations.

Start at Pick

The pick number where combining begins (1-based). Picks before this position are left unchanged.

Shift Right

A treadle offset applied to the source's treadle assignments (0 to number of treadles available). This shifts the source treadling to different treadle positions, keeping it separate from your current treadling.

Ratio

Controls how frequently source picks are inserted or overlaid:

• 1:1 — Every pick gets a source pick (one source per one current)

• 2:1 — Every second pick gets a source pick

• 3:1 — Every third pick, and so on

Higher ratios spread the source picks more thinly through the fabric.

Options

Copy colors — Bring the source's weft colors.

Copy thickness — Bring the source's thickness values.

Repeat source — Cycle the source treadling if it's shorter than the current draft.

Wrap treadles — Wrap treadle numbers that exceed the maximum instead of expanding the treadle count.

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How It Works

Interleave Mode

Source picks are inserted between existing picks:

Current:  1  2  3  4
Source:   A  B  C  D  (ratio 1:1)
Result:   1  A  2  B  3  C  4  D  (8 picks total)

With a 2:1 ratio:

Current:  1  2  3  4  5  6
Source:   A  B  C        (ratio 2:1)
Result:   1  2  A  3  4  B  5  6  C  (9 picks total)

Overlay Mode

Source treadle assignments are added to existing picks:

Current:  Treadle 1, Treadle 2, Treadle 3
Source:   Treadle A, Treadle B, Treadle C
Result:   Treadle 1+A, Treadle 2+B, Treadle 3+C  (same 3 picks)

When overlaying with a shift, the draft automatically converts to multi-treadle mode if needed, allowing multiple treadles to be active on the same pick.

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How to Use It

1. Open both documents — your current draft and the source draft

2. Go to Design tab > Combine Weft

3. Select the Source Document

4. Choose Interleave or Overlay

5. Set the Start at Pick

6. Set Shift Right if you want the source on different treadles

7. Set the Ratio (1:1 for every pick, 2:1 for every other, etc.)

8. Check the options you want

9. Click Apply

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Step-by-Step Example: Adding Tabby Picks Between Pattern Picks

You have a pattern treadling and want to insert tabby (plain weave) picks between each pattern pick:

1. Create a second document with just a tabby treadling (alternating treadle 1 and 2)

2. In your pattern draft, open Combine Weft

3. Select the tabby document as the source

4. Choose Interleave, ratio 1:1

5. Set Shift Right to offset the tabby treadles if needed

6. Check Repeat source

7. Apply — every pattern pick now has a tabby pick after it

Step-by-Step Example: Overlaying a Ground Weave

You have a pattern treadling and want to overlay a ground structure:

1. Open your pattern draft and the ground draft

2. Open Combine Weft

3. Select the ground document as source

4. Choose Overlay

5. Set Shift Right to place the ground on separate treadles

6. Apply — each pick now activates both pattern and ground treadles

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Tips

• Interleave adds picks; Overlay doesn't — Choose interleave when you want extra picks (like tabby between pattern). Choose overlay when you want multiple structures on the same pick.

• Shift separates treadles — Use Shift Right to keep source and current treadling on different treadle groups, just like shaft shift in Interleave Warp.

• Ratio controls density — A 1:1 ratio doubles your picks (interleave) or affects every pick (overlay). Higher ratios space out the source.

• Multi-treadle automatic — Overlay with a shift automatically enables multi-treadle mode so multiple treadles can be active per pick.

• Works with liftplan — Combine Weft handles both single-treadle mode and liftplan mode.

• Undo works — Ctrl+Z reverts the combine operation.

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Quick Reference

Setting	What It Does
Source Document	Other open document to combine from
Interleave	Insert source picks (increases total)
Overlay	Add source treadles to existing picks
Start at Pick	Where combining begins
Shift Right	Offset source treadle assignments
Ratio	How frequently source picks appear
Copy colors	Bring source weft colors
Copy thickness	Bring source thickness
Repeat source	Cycle source if shorter
Wrap treadles	Wrap vs. expand treadle count